


i picture it, soft, and i ache.

by paleromantic



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Okay so listen this is a moomins au, Reuniting, aaron teases him but it's out of love, and very soft, andrew is moomintroll, andrew is pining hard, neil is snufkin, pretty nature, springtime, this is very gay, trans andreil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-02-29 23:24:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18788383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paleromantic/pseuds/paleromantic
Summary: “Minyard.” Neil’s smile was audible in his voice, and Andrew could see the remnants of a sunburn on his nose. Wherever he had been, it had been warm- Neil loved the warmth, and it suited him. Andrew didn’t know why he came back to the valley sometimes, not when there was nicer weather elsewhere for him. “It’s nice to see you.”“You look like shit, Josten. Can’t you afford a new coat?”Neil only laughed, crinkling his nose and showcasing the freckles on his face as he tilted his head back. “And throw this one away? You bought me this, Andrew.”





	i picture it, soft, and i ache.

**Author's Note:**

> This is very gay and very soft,,, it started as a warm up but I kind of really like what I did for it so here y'all go. I promise I'll get around to actually updating my time travel au soon now that exams are over, I love y'all so much thank you for reading!

The cold winter days had started their slow crawl towards longer summer ones, and Andrew could feel the turn in the air the same way that he could feel his own excitement mounting against his will. He hated the warmth, had ever since he was a child and part of him mourned the loss of the winter chills that allowed him to layer up his clothing. Summer meant short sleeves, it meant sweat trapped under the ill-fitting binder that was uncomfortable at the best of times- it meant Nicky and Aaron going swimming and asking for Andrew to join them even though they  _ knew  _ that he couldn’t. Not that they would have judged him for wearing a shirt into the lake, but that wouldn’t stop his skin from crawling at the mere thought of it. 

Still, though, the part of Andrew who hated the warmth lost every time because of what the warmth brought with it. 

“I heard the birds singing today.” Aaron reached over a picked up a bread roll, tearing it open with his hands before picking up a blunted knife. “Interesting song, they were singing.”

Andrew paused, and then swallowed a mouthful of half-chewed food. It scratched his throat on the way down, but he ignored the burn. “Interesting? Interesting how?”

Spring was still in it’s teething stage, the warmth still finding itself in the valley where Andrew and his family lived, so Andrew was still waiting. If anyone had asked what he was waiting  _ for  _ he would have told them to fuck off, but that wouldn’t have made the answer any less obvious. He was waiting for Neil- he was always waiting for Neil when the man was away. 

“Interesting because I’d never heard it before.” Aaron chuckled and then took a bite of the now buttered bread he was holding, chewing on it.

Nicky answered before Andrew’s heart could catch up with the words. “Does that mean that Neil is coming back? Erik, Neil is coming back!”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “The birds are usually the first sign, right? But you didn’t hear them because you were too busy locking yourself in your room and sleeping the winter away.”

Andrew didn’t argue, mostly because he couldn’t. It was true- Andrew spent most of the winter inside, reading and wishing the season away for the most part, resenting the fact that Neil always left him behind for warmer weather. 

Of course, he knew that that wasn’t why Neil had to go, but he was a bitter man by nature. 

“Maybe I’ll go for a walk today.” Andrew brought his mug of tea to his lips and took a sip, before putting it down and standing up. “Get some fresh air.”

“What a coincidence. Maybe you’ll run into Neil on your way, then.” Aaron snorted and then looked at Nicky, who beamed. “Tell him we said hello.”

“I will.” Andrew put his things in the sink, rinsing his plate and cup before putting them to the side to dry and grabbing his coat, the bag that Nicky held out for him. 

“Make sure that Neil eats something, you know how his adventures wear him out.” Nicky chuckled and then tilted his head to accept the kiss that his husband dropped on his temple. “And don’t forget to come home either, just because you’re excited.”

Andrew huffed and then shook his head. “Whatever,  _ mom _ .”

He closed the door shut behind him, and then started to trace that familiar path over to his sentry station. The bridge where he usually waited for Neil was small and worn, the boards knotted and starting to splinter at the edges but Andrew loved it anyway. It was Neil’s favourite place in the valley, he had told Andrew before. By extension then, it was Andrew’s favourite place in the valley too. It was a stone’s throw from the woods, with a sleepy river going under it where they could sit and watch the fish and frogs going about their business as they talked. Andrew had spent a majority of the springs and summers since he had met Neil on this bridge. 

He hoped he would spend the rest of his life there with him too. Maybe then, Neil wouldn’t leave so often.

Maybe then he would take Andrew with him when he did. 

The walk wasn’t short, but Andrew didn’t care. He didn’t care tenfold when he saw a familiar mop of auburn hair topped with a soft green hat ahead of him, approaching the bridge from the edge of the woods. 

He did not run. He  _ didn’t _ . He might have jogged, though. 

When he reached the bridge, he took in Neil’s messy appearance. His hat had gathered a few more frays on its brim from its travels, and his boots were even more scuffed than when he had left the valley just a handful of months earlier. Andrew would have to shine them for him again. 

He didn’t mind.

“Minyard.” Neil’s smile was audible in his voice, and Andrew could see the remnants of a sunburn on his nose. Wherever he had been, it had been warm- Neil loved the warmth, and it suited him. Andrew didn’t know why he came back to the valley sometimes, not when there was nicer weather elsewhere for him. “It’s nice to see you.”

“You look like shit, Josten. Can’t you afford a new coat?”

Neil only laughed, crinkling his nose and showcasing the freckles on his face as he tilted his head back. “And throw this one away? You bought me this, Andrew.”

Andrew remembered. It had been Neil’s first spring in the valley, and he hadn’t been quite used to how cold it was in early spring there so Andrew had taken it upon himself to find the man a jacket that suited his overall look. 

Neil had  _ loved  _ it. 

Andrew had loved how genuine Neil’s smile was when he was wearing it. 

“Did you bring me anything?” Andrew sat down on the bridge, and the boards underneath them groaned as Neil moved to join him. “Other than stories, of course.”

“Of course.” Neil agreed amiably and then pulled his satchel towards himself, pulling out a new book, and a bunched up piece of fabric. “Here you are, then.”

Andrew took them gently and then turned the book over to inspect the cover. It was a fairytale by the looks of it, with beautiful illustrations on the cover and littering the inside of it. It was clearly from another place, and it must have cost Neil a pretty penny. It was nicer than anything else that Andrew owned, and he swallowed hard before moving onto the fabric.

“What is this?” He tugged it free of the book and then held it up, before widening his eyes. “Neil.”

Neil smiled. “Mine didn’t fit me right anymore, so I needed to buy a new one anyway. Why not buy two?”

It was a lie, and Andrew knew it. Neil’s binder fit him perfectly, it always had. “That’s convenient for you, I suppose.”

“Do you like it?”

Andrew wanted to kiss him. Andrew wanted to cry.

He didn’t do either of those, though. He put the gifts down to the side and then turned to look at the man. “Yes or no?”

Neil didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

Andrew reached out and rested his hand on top of Neil’s gently. “I’m glad that you’re back.”

“I’ll always come back.” Neil’s voice was firm, and he turned his hand over to link their fingers together. Andrew’s heart skipped a beat.

“You wouldn’t need to come back if you took me with you.” 

Neil sighed, and then looked out over the river. Andrew followed his gaze, and together they watched a mother duck leading her children out of the water one by one. The breeze brushed Andrew’s hair slightly, and he bit his lip as he waited for the man to answer.

“Next year.” 

Andrew whipped his head up to look at Neil. “You’ll take me with you?”

Neil nodded. “Nicky and Aaron will be angry with me, for taking you away.”

“Aaron and Nicky can go fuck themselves. Why now? Why not the last few times I wanted to go?”

Neil sighed again. “Andrew-”

“I’ve wanted to go with you forever, so _why_ -”

“Andrew.” Andrew fell silent and watched as Neil’s jaw worked, as he swallowed hard. “You know why I have to leave sometimes.”

“You need to be alone sometimes, I know.”

Neil hummed and nodded. “I do. Not with you, though.”

Andrew paused, and waited for Neil to continue.

“If I brought you with me, what would I have to come back for?”

Andrew frowned at him. “You love this valley, Neil.”

Neil stared at him and then blinked. “You thought that I came back here because I loved the valley?”

A couple of things slid into place, and Andrew blushed. “Oh.”

Neil laughed again, a musical sound that sped up Andrew’s heartbeat. “I suppose we’ll have to come back to see your family, though.”

Andrew nodded, faking a sigh. “I suppose. They are pretty clingy, after all.”

Neil squeezed his hand and chuckled. “So, you’ll come with me then?”

Andrew looked out, taking in what he could see of the valley. He had grown up there, spent the years that really mattered there- it was a pipedream to leave there with the man who had been the highlight of his year for so many years. He’d miss his family, of course, miss the animals and the other people who had shared the area- but that didn’t matter, he supposed. He wouldn’t be gone forever, and the valley would always welcome them home. 

He chuckled and then turned back to catch the surprised smile on Neil's face, leaning over to kiss it away before he could talk himself out of it. 

“With you? Anywhere.”


End file.
